Radiator tank reinforcement



Oct. 10, 1950 F. M. YOUNG RADIATOR TANK REINFORCEMENT Filed Dec. 22, 1947 INVENTQR. FRED /7. YOUNG A TTOQ N6) Patented Oct. 10, 1950 2,525,087

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,525,087 RADIATOR TANK REINFORCEMENT Fred M. Young, Racine, Wia, assignor to Young Radiator Company, Racine, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application December 22, 1947,8erial No. 793,231

\ 3 Claims. (01. 257-154) The present invention relates to a flanged tube plate and a cap or tank for the tube plate forming a radiator header with means whereby a strong bonding connection is made between their contacting flanges and whereby the side plates of the header are strengthened.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide spaced transverse members in the cap adapted to firmly hold the cap flanges against the side flanges of the tube plate when these members are assembled together and before being bonded.

A further object of the present invention is to provide spaced depressions on the inner side walls of the cap or tank for the reception of the ends of the transverse. brace members, whereby the transverse members need not otherwise be secured to the cap.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a suitably shaped groove between the edges of tube plate flanges and the cap for the reception of bonding material and for other purposes which will hereinafter be more fully described.

The principal object of the present invention generally stated, is to provide a radiator header which is easily manufactured at low cost having exceptional strength and having a superior bond between the cap and tube plate flanges.

To these and other useful ends my invention consists of parts, combinations of parts or their equivalents and method of assembling and bonding as hereinafter described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of one form of my radiator header, illustrating fractions of the tubes and fins and the preferred form of members used for protecting the ends of the fins and for fastening the headers together.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1 and before the bonding operation.

Fig. 3 is a fractional side elevational view of the header as shown in Figure 2.

Fig. 4 illustrate a modification of the transverse brace members and their anchoring means.

Fig. 5 illustrates a fractional section of the header taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1 and after the bonding operation has been completed.

As thus illustrated A designates the tube plate in its entirety and the cap or tank is, in its entircty designated by reference character B.

Member A has a plate 9 which is provided with a number of fianges l0 through which tubes I I extend, the joint between the tubes and flanges 2 being suitably bonded together. Plate A has flanges l2 around its perimeter of a suitable width. Member B may have a height suitable for the bottom header of a radiator or for the top header of a radiator.

Inthe drawings a header is shown suitable for the top of a radiator. The top plate of cap B is designated by numeral It, the sides by nu merals li-IS and the ends by numerals iS-It. Theedges of the sides and end walls of cap B are provided with outwardly projecting oflsets I9-i9, forming flanges it which are narrower than flanges I: so as to provide a V-shaped groove l8.

Depressions I! are provided and may be six inches apart more or less along the length of the header, and are arranged in pairs in transverse alignment as illustrated in Figure 2. Oil'- sets l! act effectively to stlflen the bottom edges of member B.

Radiator. headers generally have considerable length, therefore the contacting surfaces of members l2 and I3 would not normally be snugly held together for their full length without applicants transverse members 20, whose ends are seated in depressions I'I. 'I'hese transverse members have preferably an inverted V-shape as 11- lustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 and having a length so surfaces l2 and it will be snugly held together before the bonding operation regardless of the length of the radiator head.

After the cap has been pressed into position as illustrated in Figures 2 and 5, preferably a strip of solder 2| is placed in groove l8 for the entire length of the groove, after which the adjacent metal and the solder are heated in a manner so the solder will be caused to flow down between the flanges, the period for heating being timed so groove it will be left partially filled with solder and the joint between members I! and I3 bonded together with a small quantity'of solder accumulated between the edges of members [3 and member 9 as at 2: in Figure 5.

Clearly members 20 may be differently shaped in cross section and the depressions II shaped accordingly. In Figure 4 I have illustrated by dotted and full lines a modification wherein depressions 23 are square and the transverse member 24 is formed in an inverted U shape or channel. Obviously depressions i1 and the transverse members may be differently shaped.

I have shown the, radiator tubes as being staggered. They may be differently positioned and of any shape in cross section and different means may be used for protecting the ends of the flns through which the tubes extend. I have shown channels 28-25 forsuch purposes and they are formed from flat stock.

It will be seen that I have evolved a joint between a header plate and cap which meets the requirements recited in the preamble of this specification; that the surfaces between the flanges will be fully occupied by bonding material and that the side walls of the caps will be stiflened and stabilized so as to prevent vibration.

Clearly minor detail changes may be made in the design shown without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as recited in the appended claims, for example the depressions in the side plates of the cap may extend inwardly and be adapted to be embraced by the ends of suitably shaped transverse braces.

Having thus shown and described my invention, I claim:

1. A header for a radiator of the character described comprising, a tube plate having a flange formed around its perimeter, a cap, the

bottom edges of which are adapted to flt within said flange and having a shape adjacent the top of said plate flange to thereby form a V-shaped groove. a number of spaced transverse members, their ends contacting the side walls of the cap near said V-shaped groove and having a length adapted to press the edge of the side plates of the cap snugly against said tube plate flange when the cap is in position, said V-shaped grooves adapted for the primary reception of bonding material, whereby when the adjacent metal and bonding material is suitably heated, the bonding material will flow downward from the groove and between the contacting metal and accumulate in the groove thereby to form a dual seal.

2. A device as recited in claim 1 including, a number of spaced depressions formed on the inside of the side walls of the cap and adjacent said groove, the ends of said transverse members being positioned in transversely adjacent depressions.

3. A header for a radiator of the character described comprising a tube plate and a cap therefor, said tube plate having formed on its perimeter relatively narrow flanges, said cap having flanges formed on its lower edge to thereby provide grooves on the inner edges of the tube plate flange when the cap is forced into position, a number of spaced embossments on the side plates of said cap and positioned adjacent said grooves, transverse members, their ends adapted to be anchored by said embossm'ents, the transverse members having a length adapted to flrmly hold the cap and tube plate flanges snugly together, said grooves adapted to primarily receive bonding material and cause it to flow downward between the contacting surfaces of the flanges when the contacting metal and bonding material are suitably heated.

FRED M. YOUNG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,606,891 Murray Nov. 16, 1926 2,073,778 Boerger Mar. 16, 1937 2,184,658 Young Dec. 26, 1939 2,260,638 Pfost Oct. 28, 1941 

